Oil burner



L. S CHADWICK OIL BURNER 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8 M W J j z M 2 W Q Q m 5 2 IT 3W M w 3 I J fifl 0 K a 2 f L J 4 3 J ,4 /o 7 7 l I a I I I I I I I I I l l l l I l ll L 22522225 2 =0 W M 7 [IL May 13 1924.

L. S. CHADWICK OIL BURNER s Sheets-Sheet Filed March 8 .lrllllfllilvlllvtdrv L. S. CHADWECK OIL BURNER May 13 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 8 1922 @QNUJJL, Mwkw Patented May 13, 1924.

UNITE s'r r4 5 means irFrc E.

LEE s. cmmwrox, or SHAKER HEIGHTSVILLAGE, 0e10, ASSIGNOR ro THE o nva LAND METAL raonuo'rs companion, CLEVELAND, omo, A oonronarron or OHIO.

" 'O'IL BURNER.

Application filed March 8, 1 922. -Seria1No. 541,898.

controlling or distributing member-called a flame spreader in certain well known types of burners-is supported in spaced relationv to the burnt portion ofthe wick.

Heretofore the air controlling anddistributing member has held afixed operative pose tion in the burner, and the wick was ad u's tabletoward and from it. When the wick was in low position, it would be spaced a con siderable chstance from saldflmember, and

when in high position, it would be very; near said member. Consequently, when-th eflame was low, there wasmore air passing between the wick andthe alr controlling and distributing member than when the I flame was high; the velocity of that air was low, and the action. of the flame was slug.- gish. When the wick was raised to produce a higher flame, the amount of air-was correspondingly cut down and its velocity was increased, resulting in a very thin flame, frequently accompaniedby an annoying humming sound, or in the flame being blown away from the wick.

These conditions, therefore, were just the reverse of what they should have been, for, when the flame is low, less air is requiredto support combustion, and this air should have a reasonably high velocity; and when the flame is high, the air supply should be increased and the velocity somewhat lowered.

It is the fundamental object ofmy present invention to provide a burner of ,the class ends that, first, and preferably, the same may be spacedfa variable distance from the wick throughout the wicks range,- of movement; .second,-the' sametmayrbear a constant spaced relation: to the wick at all timesyand third, the same maybe caused to bear either a constant or variablegspaced'relation'to the wick, which variable spaced relation maybe altered to meet different atmospheric, ch-- matic or temperature conditions, or to better adapt the burner to'varions gradesof oil.

A burner possessed of this feature is free from the difficulties above enumerated.-

A construction peculiarly adapted tothe embodiments'of my present invention is ex-.

hibited in my former application for Let ters Patent, Serial No. 528,813, filed January. 12, 1922. The burner disclosed in this earlier application involved 'vvick' raising means, stop mechanlsm arranged to coacltherewith for preventing undue. elevation of the wick, an airdistributing and controlling member arranged to be engaged by the burned portion of'thewickandelevated the wick whenthei latter is raised, operative connection between. saidmember and said mechanism whereby the mechanism' is" coupled with the wick raising means to arrest operation of the latter when the wick has been elevated to high position, and whereby the air distributing and controlling member is operatively connected to the wick raising means to cause said means to lift said member from the Wick and sustain it i in a fixed elevated position thereabove where it serves purely as an air distributing and controlling member.

Because-the air distributing or controlling member is generally referred to as a flame spreader, in the type of burner herein disclosed, I shall, forconvenience, but with no intention of limiting that element to any particular design; arrangement of parts, or

;its relation to the other elements of the burner, refer to ithy that term in the following description.

In; the operation of my former burner, the

Vflamespreader (after aslightfinitial movement wherein it coupled the stop mechanism to the wick raising means, and which movement occurred before the wick had reached burning position) was lifted from the wick immediately to its final high position wherein it remained stationary while the wick was free to be adjusted to any height within its burning range. This condition, therefore, corresponded to. that prevailing in the earlier forms of burners of the same class wherein the flame spreader was supported in a fixed position and the wick was adjustable toward and from it, the marked advantage in the later form of burner over the earlier form being in the stop mechanism which prevented the wicks being raised high enough to actually engage the flame spreader and thus create a dangerous condition by cutting off or retarding the draft through the inner wick tube and trapping a certain amount of combustible gas therewithin.

Objects cf my present invention, somewhat more limited than those above recited, are to provide a burner of the same general character as that just referred to, wherein the flame spreader has a variable operative position so that at all times its relation to the wick is such as will promote the highest efliciency and render most satisfactory results; to provide in such a burner means whereby the adjustment of the flame spreader is rendered automatic and simultaneous with the adjustment of the wick; toprovide arrangements whereby the spacing of the flame spreader from the wick may be constant, variable, or alterabie; and to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive, yet highly efficient, substantial and durable construction through which the foregoing objects are. attained.

While the general construction of the burner disclosed in my earlier application lends itself particularly well to the embodiment of my present invention, and while it is highly desirable to combine with the principal feature of my present invention, the

wick stop mechanism disclosed in said earlier application, I wish it to be understood that my present improvements are not restricted to incorporation in my earlier structure, nor to a combination involving wick stop mechanism.

The objects previously recited, with others hereinafter appearing, are attained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof and wherein Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a burner incorporating my improvements, the plane of section being parallel to the axis of the wick raising spindle; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the burner on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the burner in sectional side elevation, at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1, the wick being turned down considerably below its lowest burning position and the flame spreader in the position which it occupies under such conditions; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the wick partially elevated and the flame spreader sustained thereabove and in operative relation thereto; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bracket which depends from the burner and whereby certain movable parts of the mechanism are guided; Fig. 6 is a similar view of a frame that is guided by the bracket illustrated in Fig. and through Whichthe flame spreader is lifted; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the element through which the variable movement of the flame spreader is effected; and Fig. 8 is an elevational view cf a modified form of the element shown in Fig. 7.

The burner comprises inner and outer wick tubes 1 and 2 that are joined together at their lower ends by a wall 3 so as to enclose an annular wick space or compartment wherein a tubular wick'5 is supported by a wick carrier 7. The inner wick tube 1 has an offset 10 which extends radially inwardly and is closed at the bottom by a wall 11 and at'the top by a wall 12, the latter having a tubular extension 13 through which a rod 15 extends that has connection at its lower end, through amember 16, with the wick carrier 7. The upper end of the rod 15, where it projects beyond the tubular extension 13, has connection at 17 with a rack member 18. This member is preferably formed of sheet metal and extends a considerable distance below the burner tubes where it is U-shaped in cross'section, while thereabove and throughout the remainder of its length its curved side is cut away leaving only side plates that are turned inwardly and overlap at their upper ends for connection with the rod 15 as aforesaid. The near side of the lower portion of the member 18 (as it is viewed in Figs. 1 and 2) is provided with a series of slots 20, thus constituting of it a rack for engagement with the teeth of a pinion 21 on a spindle 22 which may be turned by a hand wheel 23 applied to its outer end. The spindle is journalled within opposed parts of a bracket 25 that is secured to and depends from the burner.

It may be explained in passing that in the present construction the burner is intended to be supported from the base of a stove through a member 26 that is applied to the forward end of the bracket 25 and which is arranged to have connection with the base, and through an elbow fitting 2'7 that extends rearwardly from the lower end of the outer wick tube 2 and is arranged for connection with a suitable supply pipe, the fitting 27 providing communicative connection between the supply pipe and burner.

It will be seen from what has already been described that by turning the spindle 22 the wick 5 may be raised and lowered by reason ofits'operative' connection with the spindle throughthe carrier 7, member 16,

rod 15, rack'member 18, and pinion 21.

Y A'spanner 30ismovable within the upper end of the inner wick tube, and depending from this spanner is a frame 31 which has and 33 of the rear branch of the bracket 25 (shown in perspective in l* ig'.5).v The element through which the variable positioning of the fiame spreader is efl'ected, and which for convenience-may be referred'to asthe pawl carrying member 35 (shown in perspective in Fig. 7), is p-ivotally connected to the frame 31 by means of a pivot member 36 which extends throughregistering apertures 37 and 38 of the-pawl carrying member and frame, respectively. The pawl carrying member, like practically all other partsof the burner, is shown as formed of sheet metal, and made integral therewith is a pawl 39 which has a forwardly directed nose 39 at its upper end. Through the inherent resiliency of the metal from which the member 35 is made, the pawl 39 is yield-- able with respect to said member, and the extent'to which it may yield is limited by a stop plate -10 that is'carried by the member 35 and has a notch 11 that embraces the pawl and is of somewhat greater width than the thickness of the metal whereof the pawl is formed.

Rigidly secured to the spanner 30 and rising centrally therefrom is a post which is bifurcated at its upper end, and within the bifurcation of the post is pivotally supported, upon a pin'46, a latch plate 427- A flame spreader is-adapted to be inserted within the upper end of the burner and it has an aperture in its top wall through which the upper end of the post 45 projects, and when the spreader is in normal position with respect to the post, a keeper portion 51 of the latch plate 47 is projected over the top wall of the spreader dueito the direction in which the latch plate is tilted by its weighted end 52. WVhen the spreader is in this locked position, its flange 53 extends out over the wick space and in the path of the wick 5, and when the spanner 30 is 'in lowpo sition, the flange 53 is" well below the uppenedge of the wick tubes, the parts beand 3'. An actuator 55 'is'movably carried g ing illustrated in this condition in Figs. 1 I

by the spreader and the same is in the form of a collar which surrounds the reduced up per end'56 of the post 45 and by coopera tion with a lateral extension 57 of the latch plate 47, swings 'thelatch plate upon'its pivot to retract itskeeper portion 51 when said actuator is elevated. The actuator 55, constituting a lifter for the spreader, serves to unlatch the spreader fromthe post 45 by its engagement with the extension 57 during its slight initialmovement in advance'of the upward movement of the spreader, From this brief description it "is clear that by taking hold-of the actuator 55' and lifting it, the flame spreader will be unlatched from the post 4c5-andmay,'by means of the actu ator, be removed from the burner, all

through a continuousmovement; and upon returningthe spreader to the burner it Wlll be automatically locked to the post 45bythe' action of the weighted latch plate 47; F orfurther details regarding this spreader latch, and other forms of latch suitable for use with my present invention, reference may be made ,tomy copending application entitled Latches for flame Spreaders of oil burners, SerialNo. 528,833, filed- January l Secured rigidly to the inner end of the wick raising spindle '22, adjacent the frame 31, is a ratchet-wheel 60 which, it will be observed, is of considerably greater radius, than'the' pinion 21.

I have already explained how, when thespindle is rotated in an appropriate direction, the wick 5 is ele'- vated.'- As the wick rises, it engages the flange 53 of theflame spreader and lifts the spreader. This "movement is imparted to thepawl carrylng member 35 by reason of its connection with the 'flame spreader through post 45, spanner 30, and frame 31.'

The initial upward movement of the pawl carrying member is restricted to a vertical course by the wall 62 of the overturned portion 33-of the bracket 25. This vertical course-of the pawl carrying member imparts a like direction of travel to the'pawl 39 which is approximately tangent to the gear 60. Just assoon as the pawl has been elevatedenough for its nose 39 to enter the orbit of the ratchet teeth, the ratchet wheel 60 will pick it ,up and, by reason of, the greater radius of the ratchet wheel with respect to that of the pinion 21, the pawl carrying member, the frame and spanner struc ture, and together therewith the flame spreader 50, will be lifted'at a considerably higher rate ofspeed thanthat' at which the wick 5 is traveling. This upward, movement of the parts mentionedconti'nues until the flame spreader assumes proper operative position with respect ato the "wick, and the suspension ofthe parts with: the spreader in this position caused by the withdrawal of'the lower endof the pawl carrying member from'the'vertical portion of the wall 62. The lower end of the pawl carrying member, or what may bereferred to as the cam surface thereof, is curved on an are slightly eccentric with respect to the pivotal axis of said member, the extent of eccentricity of the camfsurface' being indicatedbya comparison" therewith of the are indicated by the dot-and-dash line a which is concentric With, the pivotal axis of the pawl carrying member. The upper end of the wall 62 is shown as deflected laterally at an angle to provide a bearing for the cam surface of the pawl carrying member as the pawl carrying member is swung by the ratchet wheel 60 laterally over the top of said wall, as indicated in Fig. 4. This swinging of the pawl carrying member occurs when its pivotal axis is nearly coincident with the axis of the spindle22 and this is for the purpose of allowing further rotation of the spindle after the flame spreader has assumed operative position, so to speak (that is, the position wherein it functions purely as a flame spreader, or air distributor orcontrolling member). The upward movement of the wick, however, is arrested, in turn, by the engagement of a stop 65 With the adjacent edge of the frame 31. The stop 65 is shown as formed integral with the pawl carrying member 35 and as consisting of a tongue which is turned laterally so as to abut the edge of the aforesaid frame. This stop is preferably adjustable (in the present instance, by reason of the flexibility of the metal whereof it is formed) so as to enable the high position of the wick to be varied to meet varying climatic conditions and differing grades of fuel oil, etc., some oils requiring greater wick exposure than othersas do also varying atmospheric and climatic conditions.

I have already made mention of the fact that the pawl 39 is yieldable. This is for the purpose of avoiding the pawl looking with a ratchet tooth should the nose of the pawl engage squarely on the point of the tooth,

While I have described in passing the operation of the various parts, I may explain briefly that when it is desired to light the burner, the wick is elevated by turning the spindle 22 in an appropriate direction and upon the initial upward movement imparted to the flame spreader by the engagement of the wick with its flange 53, the frame El and the pawl carrying member will be elevated sufficiently to present the nose of the pawl in the path of the teeth of ratchet wheel 60 whereupon the ratchet wheel will pick up the pawl and, through it, and the.

member 35, the frame 31 and spanner 230, lift the flame spreader 50 out of contact with the wick, this action continuing until the lower edge or cam surface of the pawl carrying member escapes over the upper end of wall From this time on, the spacing of the flame spreader from the wick will be ilependent upon the profile of said cam surace.

To better adapt the burner to different grades of oils, and to meet various climatic, atmospheric and temperature condition. I may provide means for altering the profile eeaers ofthe. cam surface of the pawl carrying member to change the lift of the flame spreader. One meansof accomplishing this is illustrated in Fig. ,8 where "the pawl car rying memberfio is shownas incorporating a plate thatis pivoted at 71 to said member. The lower curved edge of the plate 70 serves as the cam surface and this may be altered by adjusting the plate on its pivot. The plate is adapted to be secured in any adjusted positionloy a screw 73 that extends through registering slots in the plate and in the member .35 and which has applied to it a thumb nut 74. It will be noted that the slots cross each other at such an angle that any shifting of the plate 70 Y with respect to the pawl carrying member is opposed by the shearing resistance of the screw 73 and not merely by the clamping action of the nut 74. The slot in the pawl carrying member on the side next to, the

frame 31 is countersunk to accommodate the a head of the screw, as indicated by the dotted lines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, wick adjusting means, an air controlling member movably supported in spaced relation to the wick and capable of a variable adjustment, and connections through which the air con trolling member is automatically so adjusted when the wick is adjusted by the aforesaid means.

2. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with-the wick, wick adjusts ing means, an air controlling member sup: ported in spaced relation to the wick and capable of adjustment to various positions during the movement of the wick, and connections through which the air controlling member is automaticallyso adjusted when the wick is adjusted by the aforesaid means.

3. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, wick adjusting means, an. air controlling member supported in spaced relation to the wick and capable of adjustment to different operative positions and in variable relation to the wick throughout the burning range of the Wick, v and connections through which said member is automatically so adjusted when the wick is adjusted by the aforesaid means? 4. In a burner of the character set forth, 1 20 in combination with the-wick, wick adjusting means, an air controlling member movably supported in spaced relation to the wick, and connections between the air con- 1 trolling member and the Wick adjusting means whereby the member is adjusted to different operative positions by said means.

5. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, wick adjusting means, an air controlling member, supporting means for said member, and operative connections between the member .supporting means and thewick adjusting'means whereby the member through the intervention of its supporting means is adjusted to different operative positions by the wick adin combination, -a supporting structure,

wick adjusting means, an air controlling member, means supportingthe air controlling memberin spaced relation to the wick, a cam, an-abutment-wherewith the cam engages, the cam-rand abutment being relatively movable and one of said 1 parts being connected to the supporting structure and the other to the member supporting means, and connections whereby relative movement is induced between the cam and abutment by the .wick adjusting means.

' 8. Ina burnerof thecharacterfiset forth, in combination, a supporting structure, wick adjusting means, an air controlling member, means supporting the air controlling member in spaced'relation to'the wick, a cam, an abutment wherewith the cam engages, the cam and abutment being rela tively movable and one of said parts being connected to the supporting structure and the other tothe member supporting means, connections whereby relative movement is induced between the cam and-abutment by the wick adjusting means, and an adjustment for altering the profile of the cam.

9. In a burner of the characterset forth, in combination, a supporting structure having an, abutment portion, wick: adjusting means, an air controlling member, means supporting the air controlling member in spaced relation to thewick, and a cam con.

nected to the member supporting means for movement with respect thereto and arranged for engagement with the abutment portion of the supporting structure.

10. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination, a supporting structure having an abutment portion, wick adjusting means, an air controlling member, means supportingithe air controlling. member in spaced relation to the wick, a cam connected to the member supporting means formovement with respect theretoandarranged, for engagement w th the abutment portion of the supporting structure, and connections throughwhich said cam is actuated by the wick adjusting means.

11. Ina burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, a wick adjustingspindle, operative connectionbe tween said spindle and thewick, an air controlling member,-.m'eans sustaining theair' controlling member in spaced relation to the wick, a cam, an abutment wherewith the'cam engages, the cam and abutment being relatively" movable, a supporting structure, the aforesaid member supporting means being sustained through the cam and abutment from.-the; supporting structure, and operative connections whereby the spin dle is caused to induce relative movement between the cam and abutment when, the spindle. is actuated. Y a

' 12. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, a wick adjusting spindle, operative connection between the spindle and the wick, an air con trolling member, means supporting said member in spaced relation to'the wick, a cam movably connected to the member supporting means, an abutment wherewith the,

cam engages, and connections between the cam and the spindle whereby the former is moved by the latter when the latter'is actuated to adjust the wick. a

a 13; In a burnerof the character set forth,

in combination with the wick, a wick adjusting spindle, operative connections'between said'spindle and f the wlck, an air controlhng member, =means supporting said member in spaced relation ,to the wick, an

element movably connected to the member supporting means, a second-element wherewith the former element engages, one of said elements being in the nature of a cam,

and operative connections between the, first inentionecbelement and the wick ad usting spindle'whereby the former is movedwhen the latter is-actuated to adjust the wick.

14, In aburner of the character set forth,

in combination with thewick, a wick rais mg spindle, operative connection bet-ween said spindle and the wick, anv aircontrolling member, means supportmg' said member in spaced relation to the wick, an ele--- ment pivotally connected to the member supporting means and rotatable with the spindle, and a second element wherewith the former-element engages, one of said elements being in the nature of a'c-am-whereby relative movement between them will cause the air controlling vmember, through the interventionof its supporting means, tobe adjusted with respect to the wickwhen the spindle isrotated; a

'15; In a burner of the character set forth,

trolling member arranged to be, engaged and m ved by the, Wick, me hanism in olv- -in combination with the wick, an air coning a stop. for limiting the upward movement of the wickfand operative connections between the air controlling member and said mechanism whereby the mechanism is set in operative condition by the air controlling'member and and said member is lifted from the wick and sustained in various operative positions in spaced relation to the wick' through the medium of said mechanism." 7

16. In, a burner of the class set forth, in combination with the wick, an air 'controlling member arranged to be engaged and moved by the wick, stop mechanism for limiting the upward movement of the wick, operative connections between the air controlling member andsaid stop mechanism 'wherebfg the latter is set in operative'condition by the former, and means whereby the air controlling member is automatically vithdrawn from the wick and sustained thereabove in various positions correspondingto the various adjusted positions of the wick.

17. In a burner of the class set forth, in combination with the wick, means for raising the wick, a. stop for limiting the movement of said means, an air controlling memberarranged to be engaged and moved by the'*wicl means for lifting the air controlling member free from the wick and for moving it in advance thereof to various operative positions and in definite spaced relation to the wick, and mechanism actuated by the initial movement of the air controlling member for rendering effective the stop means and the'member moving means.

18. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, wick raising means, a prime mover having operative con nection' with'the wick raising means, an air controliin'g member arranged to be engaged and moved by the wi k when the latter is elevated, mechanism adapted to lift the air controlling member free from the wick and for moving it in advance thereof to various operative positions and in definite spaced relation *to the wick and arranged when thrown into connection' 'with the wick rais ing means to limit the movement of the wick! raising means, and connections betweenthe air controlling member and said mechanism whereby said mechanism is operative-1y connected to the prime mover by the initial elevation of said member.

19. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, wick raisin means, an air controllin member arrange to be engaged and moved by the wick when the latter is elevated, mechanism which, when coupled to the wick raising means,

serves to limit the movement of said means and to lift the air controlling member free from the'wick and to move it in advance thereof to various operative positions and I relation thereto.

in definite spaced relation to the wick, and means actuated *by the initial movement of the air controlling member for coupling said mechanism to the wick raising means.

20. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, rotative wick raising means, an air controlling member arranged to be engaged and moved by the wick when the wick is elevated, operative connections established between said memher and the wick raising means by the initial upward movement of said member, said connections incorporating "an element capable of both rotative" and vertical movement, means restricting the initial movementpf said element 'to a vertical course thereby to lift the aforesaid member free from the wick,'the element thereafter rotating with the wick raising means, and an abutment wherewith the element engaged, the engaging surfaces of the element and abutment constituting one a cam and the other a cam engaging part whereby the aforesaid member is caused to travel in advance of the wick in definite spaced relation thereto.

21. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, rotative wick raising mean-s incorporating-a ratchet wheel, anair controlling member arranged to be engaged and moved by the wick when the latter 'is elevated, operative connections adapted to be established between said member and the ratchet wheel by the initial upward movement of said member, a pawl carrying element incorporated in said connections and capable of vertical and rotative movement, a pawl carried by said element for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, means restricting the initial movement of the element to a vertical course during which movement the aforesaid pawl is engaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and said member is lifted free from the wick, and an abutment engaged by said element, the engaging surfaces of 'the ele ment and abutment constituting one a cam and the other a cam engaging part whereby the aforesaid fmeinber is caused to travel in advance of the wick in definite spaced 22. In a burner of the character set forth, in combination with the wick, a flame spreader movably supported in the pathof the wick, a wick adjusting spindle, oper ative connections between the spindle. and

wick, a toothed wheel on the spindle, a frame movable with the spreader, a member pivotally connected to the frame, a pawl carried by said member for cooperation with the toothed wheel, means for normally restraining said member from pivotal movement whereby when the wick is elevated the spreader and frame are elevated to engage the pawl with the toothed wheel 'so that the frame through the pawl and member is lifted to remove the spreader whereby the flame spreader through the from the Wick, the member thereby being intervention of the frame and member is 1 withdrawn from the restraining means caused to travel in advance of the Wick in so that the member may be swung on its definite spaced relation thereto.

- pivot, and an abutment wherewith the mem In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my ber engages, the engaging surfaces of the signature. member and abutment constituting one a cam and the other a cam engaging part LEE S. CHADWICK. 

